Drive-test maneuver
Lane changes
Blind-spot crashes are among the easiest to fail a road test with, and among the easiest to prevent.
- 1MirrorRear-view, then the side mirror for the lane you want.
- 2SignalAt least 100 feet in town. Earlier on a highway.
- 3ShoulderQuick glance over the shoulder into the blind spot. Mirrors lie.
- 4MoveSmooth, one lane, cancel the signal. Never in an intersection.
What the examiner wants
- Signal early enough for others to react
- Head check, not just mirrors
- Smooth speed — no drifting or jerking
- Stay in the new lane; don’t wander